Random thoughts...

[Thinker]

“The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

This world - people - are so easily deceived by flattery and mental games. This is why people with cruel habits are often sought over nicer people. Partly it could be “nicer” people carry passive-aggressive baggage of not being nice to themselves & unrealistically expecting others to instead. So it may be a more complex issue, & good to remember to love God, others as well as ourselves, to prevent looking for love in all the wrong places. But I have seen so many times when a caring person is attracted to an uncaring person - maybe because the caring person projects their own love, etc, or is familiar with the challenge of earning or winning love from others. They generally see through superficial & distorted lenses & not so much as the God of truth sees.

People with mean habits can be good actors & appear great, but they do tend to get back what they dish out… it may be years down the road, or even another lifetime. I believe in a spiritual law of cause and effect. Many may see it as punitively horrible & thus favor the Constantine/Eusebius/Saul evil of pretending to drink blood & eat a body for human sacrifice scapegoating to somehow magically pretend another does our spiritual exercising for us. Ridiculous! Nobody can exercise for me! A deceptive pipe dream to shift responsibility to make another pay - the epitome of evil. From a higher perspective, the spiritual law of cause and effect - is beautiful in that it helps us accomplish one of our main purposes in life: to learn and grow.

[Cruiserdude]

I’m really grateful for different friends.
1 friend is my bestie, my “go too” to joke with or when I can’t carry it on my own.
1 is like a spiritual parent & therapist.
2 are my ties to my childhood.
1 is my ties to my party days.
Several are my ties to Mormonism.
2 are family, though not genetically.
1 is my meditation buddy.
1 keeps me grounded with facts.
3 are my birthday/Christmas package-exchange friends.
Some remind me that there are very different ways of looking at things.
Others test me, as I probably test them.
I feel rich - blessed to connect with people like this.

That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks

[Thinker]

That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks

Thank you. True - I’m trying to keep that in mind.

[BeNotDeceived]

That's a great outlook to have.... Especially since we choose our own outlooks

Thank you. True - I’m trying to keep that in mind.

Is it possible to do nothing.

[Thinker]

Is it possible to do nothing.

No, not really. Our intelligently designed bodies work 24-7 - always doing lots!

But, we can try to allow a still space for God to abide within us. Maybe this is why kids tend to be so close to angels and the like - they’re good at doing nothing.

Whinnie the pooh (ignore the colorful title - the video itself is sweet/innocent)
https://youtu.be/PSWIJcuj9vY

[Thinker]

Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more. But it’s often unpleasant - like a TBM having to sit through Islam services or something.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god. Maybe this is a universal weakness - the carnal side that we feed most - & why so many follow (political, religious..) herd mentalities.

[Cruiserdude]

Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god.

Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though ) .... We've found home
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)

[Original_Intent]

Yesterday, a guy gave a talk asking why we do what we do. It hit me maybe because I just watched Creed 2, asking the same thing. Why do I go to church? For me - it’s 90% social (agreement to raise our kids with it & to keep connected with neighbors/friends) & 10% spiritual (mostly some music). I also felt the Spirit to return - after lock downs, I was planning on no more. But it’s often unpleasant - like a TBM having to sit through Islam services or something.

Although I realize I’m an odd duck, I don’t think it’s too rare to have the main reason for church to be social. If people really were honest. It’s not about truth/God, obviously - otherwise more members would be digging for it more than just apathetically opening their mouths to receive whatever is spoon fed them. If the church had some weird rule, like, “you must wear a clown nose that smells like poop over your nose” members would do it - TO BELONG. They already have worn masks over their noses, to supposedly ward off a “deadly virus” rather than wear hazmat suits that virologists wear when a virus is actually deadly.

See? It’s all to be liked, to belong. It has nothing to do with God/truth/integrity. Sure, they want to appear to worship God, prioritize truth & have integrity - but that too is significantly based on certain cultish rules that prioritize those cultish rules over God/truth/integrity. It’s all to feel a sense of social belonging. That’s the ultimate priority/god. Maybe this is a universal weakness - the carnal side that we feed most - & why so many follow (political, religious..) herd mentalities.

Spoken like a true INTJ. Love it!

[Thinker]

Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though ) .... We've found home
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)

Thanks, CruiserDude. I appreciate this pond that makes me feel slightly less odd.

Imagine how different we’d all live if we didn’t put so much stock in other’s opinions! I mean it’s good to be considerate of others etc., but to not let it prioritize above integrity & living life to the fullest - would realize much more potential.

[Cruiserdude]

Most of us here are 'odd ducks'(you're not too odd though ) .... We've found home
And yes, as a people, our appearance to the world is very important to us. (not saying good or bad, just an observation)

Thanks, CruiserDude. I appreciate this pond that makes me feel slightly less odd.

Imagine how different we’d all live if we didn’t put so much stock in other’s opinions! I mean it’s good to be considerate of others etc., but to not let it prioritize above integrity & living life to the fullest - would realize much more potential.

You nail it

[Thinker]

Spoken like a true INTJ. Love it!

Oh, Man! I think way too much - I’ve been practicing “clear your mind” meditations - but even then my thoughts are like a squirrel on expresso.

They say woman INTJ is the rarest personality. Definitely odd .
But thanks, OI.

[Thinker]

Just had a kind of overdue lightbulb moment. For years, I’ve realized not only is Mormonism not as marketed, the same is with Christianity. I LOVE true aspects of Christ, but I see how so much of the NT is mixed with distracting lies. So, for years, I’ve searched or yearned for a church or uplifting words which worships God without all the Mormon or Christian dogmatic lies mixed in.

Well, I had it right under my nose the whole time. Parts of the Old Testament! Yes, it has its own dogma, but at least it’s not so saddled with Saul’s/Constantine’s/Eusebius lies, yet it still praises God. I especially love bits of Psalms, ie:

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” - Psalm 91:2